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University
Volume 63
of
C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e
Serving the UCR community since 1954
Issue 13
FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015
Cyber attack on ASUCR website decreases transparency
UC risks losing $120 million in proposed state budget
SANDY VAN Senior Staff Writer
Students were unable to access ASUCR’s website due to malicious attacks made on it in fall quarter.
SANDY VAN AARON GRECH Senior Staff Writers
A
s a result of a cyber attack that shut down the ASUCR website, members of ASUCR have decided to switch to an older server under the domain name, ASUCRexchange.ucr.edu, which still holds remnants of its old merchandise store that closed in 2012. As of press time, the new website lacks information about ASUCR’s elected student representatives, office personnel and upcoming committee meetings, which could potentially leave the student body in the dark about recent happenings within ASUCR. “There were a series of problems with the old website ranging from no tech support by UCR as we used a WordPress website (open) to multiple malicious attacks and vulnerabilities,” explained ASUCR Marketing and Promotions Director Ravin Rathod, whose position involves overseeing the website.
According to a report that the Highlander obtained from UCR Computing and Communications, the original website’s servers on WordPress became infected by a Trojan, a malware virus which generally forces websites and their computers to lose control to a third party and cause sensitive data to be
► SEE CYBER ATTACK, PAGE 6
► SEE BUDGET, PAGE 5
PHOTO BY TIM BACA / GRAPHIC BY VINCENT TA
the university’s antivirus firewalls, which did not protect the website when it operated under WordPress, according to Payroll and Budget Accountant Amy Carrizosa. As a result of the attack, website responsibilities were shifted from Rathod to Carrizosa, who has been in charge of updating
“I’m not sure what anybody’s doing (at ASUCR).” - Third-year biochemistry major Kushal Sonawala compromised, forcing the website offline from Sept. 17, 2014 through Oct. 24, 2014. In October 2014, ASUCR officials opted to switch from the WordPress to an OmniUpdate server, which official university websites, including ASUCR, had used prior to September 2010. The switch was made to protect ASUCR’s website within
sition which requires him to “oversee the updating and maintenance of the ASUCR website.” Currently, there is no set procedure for shifting job responsibilities from the marketing and promotions director to another. The original ASUCR website currently redirects its visitors to the ASUCR Exchange site, which provides basic documents and services for student organizations, such as how to receive funding and links to discounted amusement park tickets. However, the names, biographies and goals for members of ASUCR are still absent from the new website, but can be found on a linked ASUCR elections website, which also lists all of the candidates who have run for or won an executive or senate position over the past few years. Elections website viewers may potentially find it difficult to distinguish elected student representatives who are in office unless they cross-reference the biographies with the final elections results. “I will do my best to quickly have these put up,” Rathod said
Unveiling a draft of his 201516 proposed state budget, Gov. Jerry Brown allocated a 4 percent, or $120 million, increase for the University of California if no tuition increases are enacted. However, the amount falls short of what the UC Board of Regents has requested to prevent systemwide tuition increases of up to 5 percent next year. UC President Janet Napolitano pushed through a plan last November which may gradually increase UC tuition by up to 27.6 percent over the next five years, unless an additional $100 million in state funding is provided, which the UC says is needed to increase student enrollment and boost course offerings. Yet Brown is holding his line on providing additional UC funding, unless the UC regents keep tuition flat and cap out-ofstate admissions at their current level. “The University of California is created by the people of California,” Brown said. “It’s historically been for the citizens of the state. Yes, it’s good to have some foreign students and some out-of-state people, but I don’t think that should be viewed as a financial mechanism.” Brown also says he is displaying the “self discipline and prudence” needed to keep the state budget balanced during a time of improved economic conditions, which has allowed for increased spending, as reflected within the $113 billion proposed state budget plan. “It’s precariously balanced, and it’s going to get even more challenging as we get down the road,” Brown said during a press conference. The California State University is also expected to receive $120 million, in addition to another $25 million dedicated to improving graduation rates. Nearly half of the budget is being allocated to improving roads, bridges and highways, and nearly $2 billion is dedicated to paying down state debt and ensuring a rainy day fund. One-third of the budget will also provide for health and human services such as Medi-Cal.
the website with senate meeting minutes and other important documents as provided by Rathod. In addition, ASUCR is looking to contract someone with technological expertise to build a new website, which Rathod says will occur sometime in the “near future.” According to ASUCR bylaws, Rathod still holds a po-
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